Heartbleed Hotel

The recent news has been so full of the current astrological symbolism, it’s hard for a poor astrologer to keep up. In tech news (Uranus rules computers and hi-tech) we have the NASDAQ sell-off, and the Heartbleed bug — which may not be entirely unrelated. In the “yet more insane, horrifying violence” sort of news, we have the shooting at Fort Hood, and the stabbings at a PA school, both involving heroic actions by women. Also, this. I suggested the likelihood of "notable actions of a woman or group of women" happening this month in my post on the Aries New Moon.

In the chart of the tragic Ft. Hood shooting, the Moon, sitting right on the Midheaven at the time the shooting began (4:00 pm — NOT 5:00 as was first reported), had formed an opposition with Saturn, and created a fixed T-square pattern on the angles with Venus, which was closely opposed the Ascendant. The Ascendant rules the shooter, the 7th house rules his victims and his adversaries. Venus, sitting right on the cusp of the 7th, and the Moon, ruling at the mid-heaven, indicate the gender of the military police officer (Saturn) who finally confronted him. Both the ruler of the Ascendant (Sun) and the co-ruler of the Descendant (Uranus) were almost exactly conjunct, in Mars’ own sign of Aries, in the 8th house of death. This aspect, of course, pulls in the major Uranus-Pluto-Jupiter T-square. There is a lot that can be read from this chart — I’m just scratching the surface. I recommend it for study.

The Heartbleed Bug was announced at 17:30 UTC, and I have cast the chart for the USA, at Washington, DC. Mercury, that trickster god of technology, had just entered Aries, and was still on the sensitive, triggering Aries Point. It is in the 9th house of publicity and foreign affairs, along with the Sun, still conjunct Uranus, suggests that this is, indeed, a global problem — and may trigger a lot of legal actions., Mars, the Midheaven ruler, opposes the MC. The ramifications of this bug are not likely to be resolved easily or quickly, even after all the servers are patched. In fact, there could be some serious undermining of the government or some government operations. The Moon, strong in its own sign of Cancer, in the 12th house with Jupiter, suggests a whole lot of hidden, possibly criminal activity going on. Again, a good chart for study.

Now we have two eclipses coming up. One of the reasons these two eclipses are important is that an eclipse enshrines the effects of the current astrology for several months beyond the time of the eclipse, and, if I may repeat myself, the current astrology is intense.

The chart of the upcoming Full Moon eclipse on the 15th screams “resource wars” to me — or at least a whole lot of conflict over resources, particularly land-based ones. This could be environmental activists vs. corporations — particularly in the courts — but I suspect there will be a conflicted international component to events that are related to resources. Resources, of course, also include finances, and a sudden financial panic, or some kind of financial fallout from the Heartbleed bug could be indicated.

The Cardinal Cross, within minutes of exact — except for Mars, who has just waltzed in the door to join the party — is zeroing in on the USA’s natal Sun-Saturn square (not to mention Putin’s chart, Russia and China, among others). As I have said before, the Cardinal Cross presages a profound change in the global status and power of the USA. And depending on what you are measuring, that could be a very good thing: Also, this.

This Full Moon chart is a contentious one, with Uranus in obstreperous Aries ruling the Ascendant. Mercury is tightly conjunct it in the 2nd house of resources, which is ruled by Mars, as is the 9th house of foreign affairs and the courts. Restless and uncomfortable as it retrogrades through Libra, the sign of its detriment, Mars nonetheless is given considerable power through dispositing four planets, through being one arm of the Cardinal Cross, and also residing in a house (8th) of its natural rulership. This is a pressure-cooker. And though I don’t feel confident enough in my understanding of dwarf planet Ceres to discuss it much here, I will say that I am taking note of its close conjunction to the Moon in this chart as well.

The conjunction of Mercury with Uranus (which, of course, pulls it into the Cardinal Cross) suggests sudden events and upheavals in the realm of communications, transportation, technology and weather (Mercury rules the 4th in this chart), as well as resources, noted above. The Cardinal Cross has two other powerful and often destructive planets — Pluto and Mars — involved, and we cannot ignore the likelihood of widespread destruction and, yes, death as the Cross continues to play out its message of deep and pervasive change in the world this year. No, not everyone is going to die, and reacting in fear is not helpful. Neither is sticking your head in the sand. The times call for courage and clear thinking.

The saving grace in this chart is Venus, trining Jupiter and sextiling Pluto. She suggests that power be turned to spiritual uses, and that we all remember the importance of joy and of deep relationship. Venus also rules money, and in Pisces she considers how it can be used to improve life for everyone. There’s an article that was published just today in the Dallas Morning News that could serve as a meditation on this aspect — I urge you to read it. This trine also reminds us to commit to our core spiritual values, and with those values firmly in mind, step into our personal power to mediate change in this world.

The Cardinal Cross will, undoubtedly, bring much-needed change. We can’t go over, under, or around this potent time — we must go through it. We must live in it fully, and allow it to change us, or the changes it brings will be forced on us. Yes, there will be heartache — there is always heartache in this crazy world of ours — but the important thing is that we keep our hearts open as we make needed changes with courage, commitment, and all the strength we can muster.

Diotima Mantineia began studying astrology in 1968, taking classes from Zoltan Mason in New York City. For the next 22 years, she practiced astrology only for herself and her friends, continuing her studies while watching an increasingly humanistic, psychologically oriented, modern astrology blossom through the work of leading astrologers such as Noel Tyl, Liz Greene, Rob Hand, Marion March, Stephen Arroyo and Howard Sasportas. In 1986, Diotima began her study of Wicca and started reading Tarot, discovering that she is a gifted intuitive. In 1991, she began practicing both astrology and Tarot professionally. She majored in plant and soil science both in college and grad school, and grows much of her own food and "materia magica" on her land in the mountains of western North Carolina. Diotima’s personal spiritual path is rooted in the Western mystery traditions, the principles of Yoga, and a profound connection with the natural world. Wicca gives structure to her spiritual journey, and she utilizes shamanic practices for healing and to live in harmony with Nature. Over 15 years of studying Chinese martial arts has given her a deep appreciation of Taoist thought which has strongly influenced her magical and personal philosophy. You can find her at www.uraniaswell.com